Portable power-operated tree tapper



1951 R. L. SOULE EI'AL 2,563,195

PORTABLE POWER OPERATED TREE TAPPER Filed Feb. 24, 1948 FIG 3 INVENTORS R- L. SOULE E. I. SOULE ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 7, 1951 I PORTABLE POWER-OPERATED TREE TAPPER Raymond L. Soule, Burlington, and Everett I. Soule, St. Albans, Vt., assignors to Raymond L. Soule and Everett I. Soule, Inc., St. Albans, Vt., a corporation of Vermont Application February 24, 1948, Serial No. 10,464

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to portable power operated tools and more particularly to a portable power operated tree tapper for use particularly in tapping maple trees from which the sap is obtained preparatory to its being converted into maple syrup.

Prior portable power operated tools and especially those employed in the drilling or tapping of maple trees have not been completely satisfactory on account of their being difficult to handle and awkward to use. Further, they were too complicated and expensive, and possessed other objectionable features which made them impractical.

It is an object of the present invention to provicle a relatively small, simple, inexpensive, and compact portable power driven tree tapping rig of few readily accessible parts of light weight which can be handily carried and are capable of being easily operated for the purpose designed.

Another and very important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which can be carried on the back and used with minimum fatigue to the operator over a substantial period.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: I

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tree tapping rig inaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2, a perspective view; and from the opposite side of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3, a detail view of the drill end of the device.

Briefly stated the invention comprises a support, a power plant. and a drill all assembled to permit the drill to be used for tapping trees from which maple syrup sap is to be obtained.

The parts are readily accessible, the support being of the character formerly used by the armed forces for carrying knapsacks with a shelf added on which the power plant is mounted and such support being adapted to be suspended upon the back of an. operator in any desired manner as by shoulder straps,

With continued reference to the drawing the drilling rig of the present invention comprises a support in the-form of a knapsack rack or mount Ill with a web H or other member for yieldable' engagement with the body of the operator on whose back the device'is supported. The support I is of relatively light weight vibration and sound insulating material.

The web H is'held in place by lacings II extending through eyes or grommets [3 in the web and through openings I4 in the sides 15 and N5 of the mount H). The lacings also fit in notches i7 and iii of the sides of the mount and maintain the web Ii taut or in fully extended position so that due to the weight of the rig the web can yield sufficiently to conform to the maximum surface of the body of the operator, thus avoiding or at least reducing irritation and promoting comfort in the wearing of the rig.

The rack or mount I0 is provided with slots I9, 20, 2i, 22, 23, 24 and 25 which serve to reduce the bulk or mass and consequently the weight of the rack or mount. Also slots I9, 20, 24 and 25 serve to accommodate conventional shoulder straps 26 of adjustable length for supporting the device on the back of the operator. The shoulder straps 26 may have shoulder pads 21 of a cushioning material such as for example sponge rubber in order to increase the comfort of wearing and also to dampen vibration.

Upon the rack or mount H] which forms the foundation or base on which other parts of the device are supported is attached a shelf or platform 28 by means of brackets 29 and screws or other fasteners 30. The platform 28 is located substantially midway of the rack or mount and is preferably inclined upwardly and outwardly at a slight angle for a purpose which will be later described, the ends of the bracket being secured by the fasteners 30 to the respective members.

The lower end of the rack or mount [0 and the outer under edge portion of the shelf are connected and braced by means of an L-shaped bracket 3|, the lower angular portion of which may serve as a support along the lower end of the rack or mount when the device is allowed to rest upon a supporting surface when it is not in use.

A power unit including a gasoline engine 32,

a fuel tank 33, and a base 34 is attached to the shelf 28 by means of bolts 35 and wing nuts 36 extending through and disposed in diagonal corners of the base 34.

The upward and outward inclination of the 'ieli 28 places the center of gravity of the power plant toward the vertically disposed support If), rather than away therefrom, thus insuring that the device will hang comfortably upon the back of the user and not tend to swing away therefrom.

The power plant 32 is employed to drive a drill 31 by means of a flexible shaft 38, the stopping means for the engine being controlled by a conductor 39 and pu :ioutton 4t which grounds able housing 42 having a threaded portion 13 which engages a fixed threaded portion 45 of the flexible shaft 38. This threaded engagement provides for an automatic adjustment as to the depth of the hole to be bored in a tree. Locking means 45 is employed to fix the housing :32 on the threaded portion 44 of the flexible shaft 38 in a predetermined position.

It will therefore be apparent that by the present invention there is provided a small, simple,

compact and relatively inexpensive portable.

power operated tree tapper all of the parts of which are readily available or obtainable and the device is susceptible of use without experience to satisfactorily perform the purpose for which the device is designed.

It will be obviousto those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited' by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable power driven tree tapper comprising a support of relatively light weight vibration and sound insulating material, a web secured in extended position to said support and adapted to yieldably engage the body of an operator on whose back the device is supported, shoulder straps by means of which said support may be secured to the body of an operator, a shelf fixed to said support and disposed at a slight upward angle with respect thereto, a bracket connecting the remote ends of the shelf and support and having an intermediate portion for engagement with a surface on which the support is allowed to rest whereby the structure may solidly rest in an upright position when not in use, said intermediate portion lying in substantially the same plane as the bottom of said support, a power plant having a base, fastening means detachably securing diagonally spaced portions of said base directly to said shelf and in contact therewith, a flexible shaft extending from said power plant and connected to be driven thereby, a drill operatively connected with said shaft at its outer end, control means mounted upon said flexible shaft conveniently accessible to the operator for terminating the operation of the power plant, the angularity of the shelf and the position of the power plant serving to dispose said flexible shaft toward said support and at a slightly downward angle, avoiding excessive bending of the shaft.

2. A portable power driven treetapper comprising a support of relatively light weight vibration and sound insulating material, a web secured in extended position to said support and adapted to yieldably engage the body of an operator on whose back the device is supported, shoulder straps by means of which said support may be secured to the body of an operator, a shelf fixed to said support, a bracket connecting the remote ends of the shelf and support and having an intermediate portion for engagement with a surface on which the support is allowed to rest whereby the structure may solidly rest in an upright position when not in use, said intermediate 4 portion lying in substantially the same plane as the bottom of said support, a power plant having a base, fastening means detachably securing diagonally spaced portions of said base directly to said shelf and in contacttherewith, a flexible shaft extending from said power plant and connected to'be driven thereby, a drill operatively connected with said shaft at its outer end, and control means mounted upon said flexible shaft conveniently accessible to the operator for terminating the operation of the power plant.

3. A portable power driven tree tapper comprising a support of relatively light weight, vibration and sound insulating material, means secured inextended position to said support and adapted to yieldably engage the body of an operator on whose back the device is supported, shoulderstraps by means of which said support may be secured to the body of an operator, a shelf fixed to said support, a bracket connecting the remote ends of the shelf and support and having an intermediate portion for engagement with a surface on which the support is allowed to rest whereby the structure may solidly rest in an upright position when not in use, said intermediate portion lying in substantially the same plane as the bottom of said support, a power plant having a base, means detachably securing said base to said shelf, a flexible shaft extending from said power plant and connected to be driven thereby, a drill operatively connected with said shaft at its outer end, and control means conveniently accessible'to the operator for terminating the operation of the power plant.

4. A portable power driven tree tapper ,com-

prising a support of relatively light weight, vibration insulating material, means secured to said support and adapted to'yieldably engage the body of an operator on whose back the device is supported, means by which said support may be secured to the body of an operator, a shelf fixed to said support substantially midway of the height thereof, a bracket connecting the remote ends of the shelf and support and having an intermediate portion for engagement with a surface on which the support is allowed to rest whereby the structure may solidly rest in an upright position when not in use, said intermediate portion lying in substantially the same plane as the bottom of said support, a power plant having a base, means detachably securing said base to said shelf, a flexible shaft extending from said power plant and connected to be driven thereby, a drill operatively connected with said shaft at its outer end, and control means conveniently accessible to the operator for terminating the operationof the power plant.

5. A portable power driven tree tapper comprising a support, means whereby the same can be carried on the back of an operator, a shelf fixed at an angle to said support substantially midway of the height thereof, means connecting the remote ends of the shelf and support and having an intermediate portion for engagement its'outer end, and means for adjusting the depth to which said drill may penetrate.

6. A portable power driven tree tapper comprising a substantially flat support, vertically disposed sides on said support, a web secured in extended position to said sides in spaced relation to said support and adapted to yieldably engage the body of an operator upon whose back the support is carried, shoulder straps secured to said support, a shelf having one edge secured to said support substantially midway oi the height thereof, a bracket connecting the opposite free edge of said shelf and the bottom of said support and having an intermediate portion for engagement with a surface upon which the support may be maintained in upright position, said intermediate portion lying in substantially the same plane as the bottom of said support, a power plant provided with a base, fastening means detachably securing said base to said shelf, a flexible shaft extending from said power plant and operably driven thereby, a drill connected to the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 432,560 Ray July 22, 1890 1,370,768 sperling Mar. 8, 1921 1,981,076 Sells Nov. 20, 1934 2,162,057 Brandt June 13, 1939 2,318,166 Knight May 4, 1943 2,434,089 Allen Jan. 6, 1948 

